Containment Breach
by MugiwaraMarimo
Summary: He was stronger than this. Had to be stronger than this. The place he commanded in this crew demanded he be stronger than this!


**_This is my first full blown song fic. Till the End is based off a song, but this is the first time I have done this! The song used is "Monster" by Skillet._**

* * *

_The secret side of me_

It had always been there. He first became aware of it years ago, passing it off as anger and aggression towards Kuina for her being better than he was. He didn't have the tools to harness it and control it then, but he learned. Learned to use whatever it was as a means to train harder, move faster and lift more.

Eventually he would name it determination, even though that really wasn't what it was. As his master handed him the Wado Ichimonji, a solemn peace stole over him and that rage lay dormant for a long time.

_I never let you see _

Once in a while it would rise up, but he always easily swallowed it back down, locking it away and keeping it hidden. It never truly went away though, always lurking in the depths of his mind, pacing like a wild animal, waiting to strike at the wrong moment or the wrong time.

_I keep it caged _

Then he met Luffy, tied to that stupid stake and let his world get turned upside down. The whirlwind that would become his Captain let him use that prowling power, without question or possibly even realizing what it was. All it did was feed into it, give it power and it slowly began to consume him, enticing a spark that he would have rather kept quiet.

_But I can't control it _

Zoro sat in the shade of the trees on the deck. Despite the meditation he had dropped into, he could feel his body shake, a slight quivering that ran through all his muscles no matter how deep his breaths had become. There was that pent up energy there that had rose to the surface as of late and it was harder and harder for him to swallow it back down. At first the swordsman had simply chosen to ignore it, for if he didn't give it thought, it wouldn't come to life.

But it clawed its way up from the darkness inside him, reared its head and bared its fangs. It was determined to burrow into his thoughts and plague his dreams, turning them to nightmares where he woke with a start in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. Zoro could feel it lurking, laughing at him from the back of his consciousness, as it if was waiting for the right moment to strike.

And then it became aggressive.

It hadn't been much at first, but soon the Strawhat swordsman noticed he was lashing out, barking for them to quiet down a bit too harshly when the others annoyed him, grabbing his sake bottles from the shit cook when handed them a bit rougher than normal and enjoying the thrill of the kill a little more hungrily, his thirst for blood never quite sated.

He sought out Sanji, knowing that besides Luffy, he would be the only other one who could hold their own against him. The marimo picked fights with the blond, both for the intended purposes of training and to just be a jerk about it. Whether the cook caught on or not, Zoro wasn't sure, nor did he really care either. He was feeding this wrath that had planted itself within him all those years ago and it was slowly consuming him now.

The first time he lashed out at Robin, was when Zoro realized this was beyond his control anymore. The Devil Fruit user glared down at him from her place on the stairs as he stumbled back, hand going to his face from where one of her many hands had smacked him soundly. "That was uncalled for swordsman-san." Her voice was cool as she lowered her arms slightly.

A growl escaped him as Zoro turned sharply. _"So stay away from me!"_

_The beast is ugly_

_I can feel the rage; and I just can't hold it!_ Zoro shook his head as he ducked into the halls of the bowels of the ship. He needed to get away from the surface for a bit. Find some place where he could be alone.

_It's scratching on the walls_

Breaking into the store room, he whipped his head over his shoulder as the door clicked shut. Zoro wanted to believe the low scraping sound he heard was in his head, but there was a chance that a fucking rat had gotten aboard. Something swam over him and as he looked about the room, all he wanted to do was find it and kill it.

With a snarl, he drew Kitetsu, hand straying to the demonic blade more and more lately and the swordsman dreaded to think he truly knew why. _In the closet? _Slowly he stepped forwards, booted feet thunking against the polished flooring. Just as he was about to reach for the handle he heard it. His head burst with an explosion of want. There was something he could find and hunt and that was just want he was going to do. The scratching came again and Zoro turned, throwing open the door... _in the halls?_

Eyes lowered, he cast his gaze along the quiet hallway. Nothing. Not a single sound. Had he been imagining it? This...thing that had laid quiet for so long was back, mocking his ability to harness it and bend it to his own will.

_It comes awake_

"_And...I can't control it..."_ The whispered words spoken to the still hall made him grind his teeth together, taking the moment of clarity to return the weapon to his home before running a hand through his hair and walking back up the hall.

What had gotten into him? Nothing was working and no matter what he did Zoro felt like it was just lurking, waiting for that right moment to take control and make him begin to regret his very own actions.

He entered the bunk room, thankful for the darkness and the seemingly calming quiet. The bunks themselves hung on their chains, not moving and he flopped down onto his bottom bunk, pulling his boots off quickly and laying perfectly still against the mattress.

_Hiding under the bed_

The swordsman frowned. It was stupid, he was a grown man. There was no need for childish fears like monsters under the bed to suddenly flare up and cause his heart to beat faster in his chest. There was nothing external here, this thing it's... _"In my body; in my head." _Zoro repeated the phrase, mumbling to himself, over and over as he stared at the bottom of Luffy's bunk above him. The darkness closed in on him, shrinking his world to nothing more than him and the sound of his rapid breathing coming out in hot bouts from his mouth and nose.

He needed to calm himself. The moss head rolled to his side, dropping onto hands and knees harshly, swearing under his breath as they hit the bare floor, apparently not realizing he had been as close to the edge as he had been. Eyes unwillingly flicked under his bunk, but the red eyes and dripping fangs he swore were going to be there weren't and Zoro let his head fall to the floor. The grains of the wood indented against his skin and he focused on that. On the presence of the numb feeling that crept into his forehead.

_Why won't somebody come and save me from this?_

Tears, hot and unwanted filled his eyes, covered his dark lashes and dropped off to the floor below. He stared bleary eyed at nothing, the wood in front of him nothing more than a blurred patch of honey brown and he slowly snaked his arms around his own chest, clinging tightly to the thin shirt, choking back the sob that wanted to break free.

He was stronger than this. Had to be stronger than this. The place he commanded in this crew demanded he be stronger than this! And he was failing! He was letting this...thing, whatever it was, inside his head gain control and it was eating him alive. All that he knew, all that Zoro had learned did nothing to cull the rising hateful need of this essence that was consuming him, over powering his own drive and filling it in with its own will.

"Marimo!" The door slammed open to reveal a pissed off cook and Zoro for once could never be happier. "What did you do to Robin-chwan?!"

"_Make it end!"_ He croaked out, muttering to the floor boards before snapping his head up to stare wide eyed at the blond.

Sanji was taken aback, the anger draining from his being as a hand reached for the door and closed it slowly as he arched an eyebrow and reached for a cigarette. "Make what end?" He spoke calmly, placing the butt against his lip and flicking his lighter.

The man before him was not the man he knew. Zoro was not one to display emotions much beyond slight annoyance and sarcasm, so to see such thorough emotions on his features...Sanji wasn't sure what to think. The look on his face reminded him of Chopper actually, eyes wide and fearful of something that the cook was unable to identify. "You okay?"

"_I feel it deep within,"_ Zoro sat back on his knees, hand gripping harshly at the shirt over his heart, dropping his right arm into his lap before bringing it back up and scratching at his left forearm vigorously. _"It's just beneath the skin."_

"What are you talking about?" Sanji inhaled deeply, watching as the swordsman had a panic attack in front of him. He was rambling, not making any sense as he spoke not to Sanji, but to the open and dark room.

_I must confess that I feel like a monster_

"_I hate what I've become..."_ He growled out the words, looking off to the side as he did so and Sanji crossed the small space, dress shoes clicking softly on the Adam's wood.

The blond crouched down, exhaling a cloud of smoke over Zoro's head as he still stared off at some far off point. Placing the cigarette back against his lip, Sanji slowly reached out, grasping at the swordsman's wrist and stopping his scratching. Short blunt nails had pulled at the top layers of skin, digging it up and making long white trails against his tanned flesh. The other hand went to his chin, lifting his head and shifting his gaze to meet Sanji's.

Wild dark eyes stared back at him as he took a deep and slow breath, speaking as he exhaled. "What have you become Zoro?"

"_The nightmare's just begun..."_ Licking the tears from his lip, Zoro stuttered over his words. The bizarre phrase causing Sanji's grip on his wrist to tighten as he tilted his head slightly.

He frowned, pulling at the swordsman's wrist, bringing it to his own chest and holding it there. "You aren't making any sense. What nightmare?"

_I must confess that I feel like a monster_

_I, I feel like a monster_

The dark eyes shifted, the pupils obscuring most of the deep iris as Zoro finally, truly looked at the blond. "Sanji..." he spoke slowly, voice low and barely audible as he mumbled. The hand at the cook's chest gripped onto his suit lapels as the one in his own shirt twisted and tightened, pulling the open collar away from his chest and exposing the edge of his most predominant scar. _"__I, I feel like a monster."_

"Monster eh? Well, you certainty look like one." Sanji chuckled, making damn sure to not mention the wet tracks running down tanned cheeks. The last thing he wanted was to get punched by the marimo, even if he doubted that was going to happen. Zoro was a loose canon on a good day...lately he had only seemed to have gotten worse.

With a snarl, the swordsman ripped his hand away, sitting back on his ass and kicking out at Sanji's ankles, knocking the blond to his own ass and the two faced each other, soles of the cook's foot wear touching the swordsman's bare toes. The cook sucked in another drag of his smoke, nodding softly to himself as he did so. "Okay, okay,"

Zoro looked off to the side again, staring off into the darkness of the room. _"My secret side I keep..."_

_Hid under lock and key_

"_I keep it caged,"_ He looked back to Sanji, eyes almost pleading as he blinked and fresh drops slithered down the already stricken paths along his cheek bones. _"But I can't control it."_ Wiping a hand across his eyes, he sniffled once and wiped his hand across his nose.

"Can't control what?" The blond kicked at the heel of the moss head's foot, trying to get the familiar anger back on the surface. They had been through a lot, but seeing him like this was unnerving to the cook and he needed some thing to cling to that was normal in this unnatural encounter he had stepped into.

"_Cause if I let him out..."_ Sanji noticed that Zoro was muttering more to himself now than him, hands running through that short cropped stupid hair as he dropped his head back towards the floor. _"He'll tear me up,"_

"Zoro you aren't making any sense!" Sanji barked at him, kicking him harder this time in the foot. Zoro jolted, dropping his hands in between his spread legs and just stared blankly at Sanji. "Fucking retarded moss, what's the deal?"

_And break me down_

Without warning, the tears started again, an actual choking cry escaping the larger man and Sanji jumped, not ever hearing that type of distressed noise come from him before. Yeah, he had seen Zoro cry, but the tears he shed that day he was bested by Mihawk were nothing like this. He reached a hand out, but paused, not entirely sure what do to or where to place it upon his nakama.

"_Why won't somebody come and save me from this?" _Zoro practicality screamed the phrase, the words echoing off the walls. "I have never felt like this before! I don't know what to do. Nothing I try is working! I feel lost!"

_Make it end!_

Sanji snorted. "You being lost is nothing new. I'm surprised you got here actually, this ship is still pretty unfamiliar, even to me." Zoro growled, low and fierce and deep in his chest, rising swiftly to his feet and stomping for the door. One of his swords thacked Sanji in the head, knocking his cigarette from his mouth and he scrabbled to get it off the floor before it did any damage.

"Zoro!" Sanji twisted from his spot, but the slam of the door was his only answer as the swordsman left him in the darkness of the bunk room.

Zoro paused on the deck, blinking as the realization that it was dark now and a shudder ran through his body. The wind had picked up, damp and cold, moisture clinging to his bare skin easily.

_It's hiding in the dark_

A harsh breeze blew across the deck, rustling the leaves on the trees and making the swing creek from its branch. The light of the kitchen caught Zoro's attention and he was fairly certain it reflected off his eyes dangerously; glinted temptingly as it caught the adorning metal of his sword hilts.

He trotted down the steps, stance wide as he came to a halt in the middle of the grass. Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw the cook exit the room, glaring down at him from his place atop the stairs. The smoke of his cigarette whipped away by the breeze.

A fight, that's what he needed. That's what his body was screaming for, what his muscles were aching for. To use his blades and cut something to shreds. He chuckled deep in his throat, smirking and baring his teeth as the blond narrowed his eyes at him.

_It's teeth are razor sharp_

Slowly, Zoro drew Wado Ichimonji, followed by the deadly Kitetsu and Sanji knew things were about to get dangerous. The murderous glint in the swordsman's eyes was not uncommon, but it had never been directed at him...well, not to this extreme. Exhaling quietly, he flicked the butt off the side of the ship and loosened his tie.

"_There's no escape for me," _The swish of the cursed blade as it cut the air was the perfect background for the anger in the swordsman's tone. His voice shook and Sanji picked up on it right away. Zoro tightened his grip upon the weapon hilt as he pointed it at the cook.

"You got that right." Sanji tapped his shoes on the planks, bolting down the stairs and meeting the other man head on. His shoe heel clanged against the crossed swords and he quickly noticed that the moss head had not turned them around to the blunt side.

Zoro was fighting for real.

Jumping back, he sized the swordsman up. Something was off here, that was for sure. Even with how pissed he could make the other man, he always used the backside of the blades. The cook did figure he was a tad outraged at the resent loss of his third katana, but that was still no reason to go bat shit if the cook could take it.

"_It wants my soul,_ Sanji," The marimo started pacing, swords held pointed towards the ground as he stepped back and forth several times, eyes never leaving Sanji's and the blond never letting his guard down. He may call the other man a dumb ox, but in all truth, he knew better than to believe it. He had seen the speed and power of the other man and shifting his gaze for even a second, giving him an opening could cost him. Maybe even his life tonight, if he had to wager, from the way he moved, like a caged animal on the desperate prowl to find that one weak link in his cage.

"_It wants my heart,"_ His left hand went to to cover the spot over his chest, almost slicing into his own cheek with the white blade. What the marimo was going on about, Sanji couldn't say, but if it was going to resort to him hurting himself, than Sanji was going to have to take him out.

With a low growl, the blond fell into stride across from Zoro, the two men circling each other waiting for an opening to strike. Zoro provided it first, much to Sanji's surprise as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if the swordsman was fighting some sort of internal battle, struggling with himself on some level the blond just couldn't understand. Sanji supposed he was, if all the random mumbling and shit he had said tonight was anything to go by. Not to mention the insane array of emotions that Sanji had seen as well.

Zoro shook his head, swaying slightly on his feet, only catching a flash of yellow out of the slits of his eyes before the cook's heel connected with his jaw, throwing him through the air. He hit the tree and the air escaped his lungs, making his already building headache strike full force.

_No one can hear me scream_

Falling to the ground, he opened his mouth, but if the sound he thought he made came out, he really wasn't sure. From the lack of reaction on the ship, the swordsman thought that perhaps it had been a soundless opening of his mouth after all. Air rushed back into his lungs as he lay on the cold grass gasping, Sanji suddenly looming into his vision. Zoro snarled, going to gather up Kitetsu, but the blond's foot came down on the blade, holding it in the grass and the swordsman paused, but only for an instant.

The white blade cut through the air, Sanji felt the displaced air against his nose as he jerked his head back, the galley lights reflecting on the polished silver of the weapon brightly. The weapon hummed soundly, but Sanji swore he felt a sorrow as his eyes locked on to the metal as it passed his nose. Back pedaling, his foot came away from the other blade and he had to jump up, kicking off the mast and landing several paces away, watching as Zoro staggered to his feet, both blades in hand again. "That was a little close there marimo. You almost got me with that one." He nodded towards the cursed blade, not missing the evil smirk cross the swordsman's face.

"_Maybe it's just a dream_..." He staggered forwards, realizing that Sanji's kick had messed with his balance a bit and Zoro stood, straightening his back and pulling in a deep breath through his nose, before settling his shoulders and lowering his sword tips towards the grass again. "There's no way you can hit me."

It was Sanji's turn to plaster that shit eating cocky smirk to his lips. "Guess again you third rate shitty swordsman." He pulled his cigarettes out, placing one against his lips and lighting it easily. Zoro growled low as Sanji sucked in the first drag, feeling his cheeks hollow slightly at the motion and feeling the burning buzz of the poison rush through his body. There was nothing better than not only being on an adrenaline high, but adding nicotine to it as well. "What the fuck's wrong with you anyways?"

"_Or maybe it's inside of me,"_ Zoro spoke more to himself than the other person on deck. He cast his gaze down to Kitetsu, but quickly shrugged off the idea of the cursed blade bringing this...whatever it was to the forefront again. If he had anything to do with it, the swordsman was pretty sure it would have happened before now. No, this had to be related to something more recent, something that he had changed from his normal routine.

"I don't think there is anything inside that moss head of yours," Sanji spoke flatly, pulling another drag of his smoke into his lungs. "That's part of the problem." He held his breath as he spoke, finally exhaling on the last word.

"Just shut the fuck up cook!" Zoro snapped, lunging for Sanji again, swiping both blades through the air vertically in an attempt to cut the blond to pieces. The cook bowed back, bringing up one leg towards himself before striking out, aiming to kick the bastard in the chest and knock him down a peg again. Zoro was on top of it this time though, blocking the attack and pushing back away from it effortlessly.

The blond flipped the rest of the way, hands gripping into the cold dirt and grass before kicking his legs up and landing on his feet again. He smacked the dirt from his fingers, frowning slightly at getting dirty. "What's wrong cook? Can't handle a little grass stain on those precious hands of yours?"

"Oh fuck off," Sanji grumbled around his cigarette, dodging to the side as Zoro struck out at him again. He turned, rounding on his shoe heel on the slick grass and kicked out at the swordsman's heel, hoping to drop him, maybe even sprain that ankle to get him to stop moving, but again, Zoro beat him to the punch...literally.

The hit caught Sanji so off guard, that he turned wide eyed to the moss head as the fist in his sternum opened and grabbed his suit jacket, pulling him towards the swordsman. The cigarette fell from his open mouth as he coughed and gasped, and the blond heard the faint hiss as it sputtered out in the grass. Zoro pulled him close, so close that the cook could feel the heat of the other pirate, smell the sweat and see the dark eyes glint with something that wasn't at all the moss ball Sanji knew. There was...something else, but what it was, he couldn't say.

Zoro took a deep breath, baring his teeth in an aggressive snarl once more, closing that small distance so that their noses touched. _"Stop this monster!" _The words came out in a panicked hiss and Sanji's eyes widened as Zoro threw him back, following the action up with a wide swing of the white sword. The cook ducked it easily and snapping his head back up, he realized Zoro was attempting to fight whatever in the hell was going on here in the first place.

The other man staggered back a pace, as if the action of the swing overpowered him and caused him to lose his balance before he regained his footing, grinding his toes into the grass as he set into a defensive stance, waiting for Sanji to make a move. "Let's go cook."

"You okay moss head?" Normally Sanji really wouldn't give two fucks about how the other pirate felt, but the desperation in his tone was so unlike him that the blond couldn't help but worry for his nakama.

His head swung slowly from side to side as he spoke. _"I feel it deep within."_ Sanji watched his hand twitch around the cursed blade, the grip relaxing and tightening as he did so. It took him a second to realize Zoro was repeating the same things over again he had been in the bunk room and his whole body jerked as he fought with himself on whether he should try to get close to Zoro again or not. The trails on his arm from where he had started scratching before were still red and apparent and the cook sucked in a breath at the thought of the stupid swordsman trying to carve whatever this was out with his swords.

"Let's talk about this, huh?" Sanji never tried to reason with Zoro before, but maybe he could give in just this once. "Wanna put the swords away and head to the kitchen? We can crack open that bottle of sake I have been hiding if ya want."

_It's just beneath the skin_

Sanji watched, as even with the sword in hand, Zoro went back to scratching mindlessly at his arm, eyes closing again in thought as his short nails dug into the already marred skin of his arm. Sanji watched quietly for a moment, poised to strike if need be, only reacting when he saw blood trail towards the man's elbow, marking the tanned flesh with obvious wounds even in the darkness of the deck.

His face contorted into slight pain and this drove Sanji into action. "Aright, Zoro," he said, taking a commanding step towards the swordsman, yet still keeping watchful of his distance and the tension in the moss head's frame. His short nails dug deeper into his arm and it seemed to Sanji that this action was holding him, keeping the swordsman from possibly loosing himself into something that Sanji couldn't see.

"_I must confess..."_ he started, voice low and husky, marred with tension and worry that was unnatural even for the other man. _"That I feel like a monster..."_

"It's okay Zoro," Sanji had never said this man's name as many times before as he had in this night it seemed, but he was responding, even in the slightest. The barely there flick of his head in the direction's of Sanji's voice as he stepped cautiously closer to him. Reaching out, the blond cook rested the tips of his fingers against the back of the hand still raking bloody trails in the swordsman's arm. "Let's put your katana away okay? Can I have this?"

Running his fingers lightly up Zoro's hand, he reached over the other's fingers, wrapping his own around the wrapped hilt of the white sword. That strange sorrowful hum filled Sanji again, but it wasn't rejecting him either, so his grip tightened as he paused at Zoro's words. There were barely audible and Sanji flicked his eyes to the other man's face, who's eyes were cast elsewhere, staring off in some far off direction again. _"I hate what I've become."_

"You haven't become anything, but a stubborn moss head," Sanji brought his other hand up, using both to get the weapon away from Zoro and carefully sheathing it in the matching saya at his side. "Can you put that one away? Remember, you asked us not to touch it?"

Zoro grunted in acknowledgment, sliding the cursed weapon home and Sanji visibly relaxed, but still did not lower his guard. He gave a small nod, but still didn't look at him, instead turning his lidded gaze to his fingers, smearing the blood around the pads of his thumb, pointer and middle fingers. _"The nightmare's just begun..."_

"Hmm...? Yes I'm sure Zoro," Sanji nodded in agreement, even if his mind was elsewhere. Right now all he wanted to do was get him into the kitchen and get him sat at the counter and for once, let his ugly mug get drunk. He needed to look at those scratch marks, take care of them enough till Chopper could get to them in the morning. Keeping the hand of his injured arm in his own, Sanji tugged at him, propositioning him to move forwards and Zoro finally looked up at him.

Eyes wide with a barely contained fear and rage, his mouth opened, then closed again several times as if he was looking for the right words, or any words before he mumbled again: _"I must confess that I feel like a monster..."_

Zoro stumbled along behind Sanji, bare feet smacking against the wooden stairs, almost in some sort of drunken haze even though he knew the swordsman was cold stone sober right now. The grip around his fingers tightened and Sanji paused, looking back over his shoulder to the marimo as he teetered on his feet, grasping at the rail and using Sanji's arm to stabilize himself.

The sound of his own rushing blood thundered in his ears as Zoro lifted his gaze from the hand around his to the cook, only barely registering that it _was _in fact Sanji holding his hand. He moved to jerk away, but his world dropped out from under him and he dropped to the stairs, panting heavily. Man, he felt like he was going to throw up!

Underneath it all was a low thrumming, something Zoro had connected with the...whatever it was and it was growing quickly again. It had dulled slightly during his brief fight with Sanji, feeding it and humoring its outrage, but now that he was trying to gain control again, trying not to lash out at his nakama, even if it was the cook, it was growling and snarling and threatening to break out once more.

_I feel it deep within_

He went to dig at his arm again, pulling away from the blond and baring his teeth in aggression when Sanji crouched down to take it back. Distantly he heard Sanji mention something about bleeding all over the place, but he barely caught it as it sounded so so far away. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest and Zoro managed to stand, swaying back and forth as he got to his feet, backing down the stairs, eyes wide as he felt the flush of want steal over him again.

_Its just beneath the skin_

"Cook..." Zoro spoke in a strained tone through clenched teeth, wrapping his free hand around his bloodied wrist and curling his toes back into the cool wet grass. Sanji was matching his steps and each one he took back, the blond took forwards, a steeled expression of determination on his pale features. Those blue eyes flickered with a fire the swordsman knew very well and wondered for the briefest of moments why it was directed at him in the way that it was.

"Don't do it you shitty bastard," Sanji growled out, leaping forwards to grasp at his arm over the cuts, long fingers digging into his skin almost painfully. "I don't want to hear you say it again."

Zoro stopped, eyes narrowing as he looked at Sanji seriously for a moment. _I must confess that I feel like a monster._ That had to be it, the phrase screamed in his mind and he took a deep breath to say it as a knee connected with his solar plexus, dropping him to his knees coughing.

"What did I say?!" Sanji screamed down at him, voice cracking slightly as his stomped his foot and turned a circle, hands tugging at his hair in frustration. "Dammit marimo! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Zoro groaned, dragging himself back to his feet, one hand on a knee to help keep his balance. His attention snapped to the blond, who was now stepped back into a fighting stance, gaze neutral as he watched the swordsman carefully.

_I'm gonna loose control_

His hand twitched, the movement running through all his fingers and his whole body hummed with the need to _move._ Zoro couldn't sit still any longer, the primal want taking over and he struck. In a single fluid motion he drew both weapons, swinging them in an upwards arc towards the blond again, growling under his breath, but not the least bit surprised when Sanji blocked the attack with ease.

The blond didn't speak anymore, apparently the time to play nice being over as he raised his arm for balance and flung his leg around. Zoro blocked the would be hit to his neck with Kitetsu, sneering at Sanji as he kicked away, landing quietly and smoothly a few feet away.

Another cigarette and Zoro wrinkled his nose as the familiar hit of nicotine flooded his nostrils. He wanted nothing more than to cut that bright red bud off the tip of the stick, just because he knew he could do it and it would scare the fuck out of the other man. With a grin, he crouched down, lowering Wado Ichimonji and shifting the cursed blade for defense. His eyes trailed over Sanji as the blond sucked another drag off his smoke, sizing him up as well. They both had impressive battle wits and they both knew each other's moves easily enough. Hell, he could tell just from the way that Sanji was leaning, he was going to fake a kick with his right, but instead, drop onto his knee as he leaned back and tried to connect with his left.

He chuckled at that. Dark and deep and Sanji flinched ever so slightly, raising an eyebrow at the awkward sound coming from his mouth. _"Here's something radical..." _ He trailed off, darting to his right, then his left, watching at the cook's eyes followed him but his body took a moment longer to catch up to him. Turning on his heel, Zoro swung in a tight circle, blades singing in a wide arc and as the cook leaned back to duck the swing, sure enough, the lit end of his cigarette flitted across the pristine shine of Wado Ichimonji's blade.

"Holy fuck Zoro!" Sanji called out as he fell back against the deck, holding himself up propped on his elbows, visible eye wide in shock. He spit the ruined remains of his smoke away, growling and muttering under his breath. "You could have killed me!"

"That's the plan."

"What?" Sanji barked, scrabbling to his feet at the tone of the maniacal laugh coming from the swordsman's mouth. "This has gone on for long enough now! That's it!"

"_I must confess..."_ Zoro shrugged, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. _"That I feel like a monster..."_

"You most certainly are acting like one..." Sanji lunged at Zoro, all poised to strike, a swirled blur of speed as he lashed out at the swordsman. The clank of steel against the bottom of the cook's shoes was so familiar and so welcoming that it curled a smile onto both their lips as they parted. Sanji's feet barely touched the grass before he was in the air again, swinging around and putting all his strength behind the kick aimed for the swordsman's chest.

Right now he didn't care what the outcome would be, what it was that Luffy would say or how Chopper would yell at him for breaking ribs; he needed to put Zoro down and keep him in the dirt so to speak. Zoro blocked the hit again, by crossing the blades in front of him and the blond had enough momentum to actually walk a step up the blades, using the top part of the X to jump over and behind Zoro, connecting with a light kick to the lower back. He held back a little, even if he really didn't want to. Broken ribs were not the same as a busted spine and even he would never forgive himself if he took Zoro's dream away from him. _"I..."_ Zoro stumbled forwards, spinning and shaking his head as a hand came to his temple. He seemed confused for a split second but Sanji wasn't falling for that act again. _"I feel like a monster."_

"Yeah, I've got that." He said dryly, tapping his toes upon the grass again and watching as Zoro shook out his arms, swiping wide arcs with his weapons as he rolled his shoulders. "You done yet?"

He got a grunt for an answer as Zoro pushed off his back foot, closing the distance made between them in an instant. Sanji dodged to his right, circling back around and loosing sight of where the swords were for a moment. The blond sucked in a choked gasp when he found them.

_I, I feel like a monster_

Blood welled from his mouth as Sanji stared wide eyed at the calm and collected look Zoro was giving him from over his shoulder. The swordsman's normally dark eyes shined black in the galley light as he jerked slightly, pressing against the hilt of the weapon, sliding it further into the cook's chest.

Coughing and choking, a sharp pain pinpointed in his lower ribs, Sanji looked down as his hands came up to shakily grab at the swordsman's shoulders. The movement took an effort that was quickly draining from him as he heard what sounded like raindrops on the deck grass. Raindrops that only seemed to be falling around the two men's feet. "Zo...why?" Sanji managed to get out, blood covering his tongue and running from the corners of his mouth to drop off his chin.

Moving, Zoro turned to face Sanji with a wide grin, turning the blade ever so slightly in his grasp. The cook cried out, a new spike of pain shooting through his core, flecks of blood littering the man in front of him and it made him sick to his stomach as he watched the swordsman's tongue dart out to lick some away from the corner of his mouth with a small hum of approval.

_I, I feel like a monster_

Sanji's knees gave out from under him, he could feel the weakness drain his body and a hand slipped from the swordsman's shoulder as well, but he didn't fall. Zoro grunted slightly under the sudden weight load of the cook, but held him aloft on the cursed blade.

His life was draining, Sanji knew this, could feel it beat away with each heavy slowing beat of his heart. The ringing in his ears was growing louder with each passing second as his vision began to cloud and darken. His mind was swimming with everything and nothing, not being able to really focus on anything, yet Zoro's feral grin being all he could see.

He was lowered towards the ground, Zoro tipping the weapon and just letting Sanji fall away from it to a heap on deck like some sort of slaughtered animal. He gave a muted laugh, kinda ironic if he thought about it. His own blood felt warm against his side as it soaked through his jacket from the grass, thick rich blood dripping off the end of the stained metal.

With a practiced flick of the wrist, Zoro moved the weapon, blood spraying from the blade to splatter across the ground between them. The blond heard the drops hit the grass as his eyes closed, his labored breathing becoming distressingly shallow. With another cough, Sanji wheezed in a breath, choking on his own blood as he looked up to see Zoro turn and walk away, his blood stained feet treading silently through the wet grass.

It didn't hurt anymore, the ringing in his ears growing so loud it was almost like a high pitched whine instead. With a small sad smile, Sanji closed his eyes again, the swordsman's words ringing through his head; the unspoken phrase being the last thing he would ever remember.

_I, I feel like a monster._


End file.
